Ginger is an indispensable aromatic seasoning in many dishes, but not everyone knows how to use it properly. Used appropriately, it can enhance the flavor and appearance of a dish; conversely, improper use can be counterproductive.
We often encounter some problems during cooking: for example, when making fish balls, adding ginger and scallion juice to the fish paste before mixing with other seasonings and kneading can result in fish balls that are fragrant, smooth, tender, and have a pristine white color.
If, however, fresh ginger is minced into rice-sized granules and mixed into the fish paste to make fish balls, it will be spicy and gritty in the mouth, and the color will be dull with an inferior taste. Similarly, when braising fish, ginger slices should first be stir-fried in a small amount of oil to release their fragrance before the fish is added to sear on both sides, followed by the addition of water and various seasonings, and then cooked until the fish and ginger are done together.
This method of using ginger not only prevents the fish from sticking to the pan but also removes any gamey or fishy odor; if ginger slices are added along with the fish or removed after the dish is cooked, the effect is much poorer. Therefore, in cooking, one must consider the specific requirements of the dish and use ginger reasonably and skillfully.
1. Shredded ginger in dishes, mostly as an ingredient:
Common cooking gingers include new ginger, yellow ginger, old ginger, and sprouting ginger. By color, they are also divided into red-claw ginger and yellow-claw ginger. Ginger has a pungent and spicy aroma and can serve as both a seasoning and an ingredient in dishes.
New ginger has thin skin, tender flesh, and a mild flavor; yellow ginger is fragrant and spicy, with its aroma and texture deepening from mild to strong and from soft to firm, making it a superior grade of ginger; old ginger, commonly known as "mother ginger" or the seed ginger, has thick, tough skin and a pungent taste, but its aroma is not as strong as yellow ginger; sprouting ginger, which comes with buds, can be used as a side dish or pickled and has a delicious flavor.
When used as an ingredient, ginger is generally cut into shreds. For example, "Shreds with Ginger" uses new ginger and green and red chili peppers, shredded and stir-fried with lean pork shreds, creating a uniquely fragrant and spicy dish.
"Three Shred Fish Rolls" involves slicing mandarin fish into large pieces, which are then rolled into cylinders with bamboo shoot shreds, ham shreds, and chicken breast shreds. These are served with pickled ginger shreds made from sprouting ginger, as well as scallion and red chili shreds, and stir-fried with soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar.
The taste is sweet and sour with a tender exterior and fresh interior. Shredded new or yellow ginger can also be used as an ingredient in cold dishes, not only to enhance freshness but also for its antibacterial and disinfectant properties.
For example, the traditional Huaiyang cold dish "Mixed Dried Tofu Shreds" involves cutting dried tofu into about 20 slices, then finely shredding them into strips thinner than a matchstick. They are blanched in boiling water three times, squeezed dry, placed on a plate, and topped with shredded ginger before being seasoned. The dried tofu shreds are soft and light, while the ginger shreds are fresh, tender, and spicy.
Tomato Ginger Shrimp
2. Ginger chunks (slices) for removing fishy and gamey odors in dishes
When processed into chunks or slices, ginger is mostly used in slow-cooked dishes, such as those involving stewing, braising, simmering, roasting, boiling, or pot-roasting, where it helps to remove the fishy or gamey odors from seafood, poultry, and meat.
In slow-cooked dishes, old ginger is used primarily for its flavor, which is discarded after the dish is cooked. Therefore, the ginger needs to be cut into chunks or slices and pounded with the flat side of a knife to crack it open, allowing its flavor to infuse into the dish.
For example: "Clear Stewed Chicken," with eggs added it becomes "Clear Stewed Hen and Chicks," with water-soaked sea cucumber it becomes "Coral Stewed Chicken," decorated with agar balls it is called "Wind Blowing the Peony," with pig intestines it is "A Dragon Playing with a Phoenix," and with a small chicken stuffed with fish and shrimp it is "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix." In all these preparations, ginger slices are essential for seasoning; without them, the dish would lack the characteristics of tender and fragrant chicken, delicate ingredients, and a clear, mellow broth.
In addition to seasoning during cooking, ginger is also used before heating to marinate ingredients, as in "Oil-Splashed Chicken" or "Fried Pork Chops." In these cases, ginger and the main ingredient cannot be cooked together, but since the ingredient has a strong odor, it must be marinated with ginger slices for a sufficient time beforehand to eliminate it. For better results, a moderate amount of cooking wine and scallions should also be added during marination.
Ginger and Scallion Fried Crab
3. Minced ginger to add fragrance and enhance freshness
In ancient times, ginger was also called "Jiang," meaning it could "ward off a hundred evils." Ginger is warm in nature and dispels cold. Utilizing this unique property, people often eat it with minced ginger and vinegar when consuming cooling dishes. Vinegar removes fishiness and warms the stomach, and when paired with minced ginger, they complement each other to prevent diarrhea, kill bacteria, and aid digestion.
Dishes like "Clear Steamed White Fish," "芙蓉鲫鱼 (Fu Rong Yu Ji)," "Clear Steamed Crab," "Drunken Shrimp," and "Sautéed Bamboo Shoots" all require vinegar and minced ginger to be poured over them, with some also needing sprinkled pepper flakes and placed cilantro leaves.
Minced ginger can also be cooked and eaten with the main ingredient, as in "Clear Stewed Lion's Head." After the pork is finely chopped and pounded with the back of a knife, minced ginger and other seasonings are added to form the lion's heads, which are then stewed.
When ginger is minced, it is more often stir-fried in oil before being cooked with the main ingredient, allowing its spicy fragrance to blend with the fresh flavor of the main ingredient, creating a very tempting dish. In dishes like "Stir-fried Crab Roe" and "Sweet and Sour Pork," the minced ginger must first be stir-fried in oil until fragrant before the other ingredients are added to cook.
While ginger chunks (slices) serve to remove fishy and gamey odors in slow-cooked dishes, minced ginger is mostly used in fried, quick-fried, stir-fried, and pan-fried dishes to add fragrance and enhance freshness.
Ginger-Scented Preserved Eggs
4. Ginger juice for excellent color and flavor
Seafood, poultry offal, and egg-based ingredients have strong fishy and gamey odors, making ginger an indispensable seasoning in their preparation. Some dishes can use shredded ginger as an ingredient, while slow-cooked dishes (known in culinary terms as "main courses") use ginger chunks (slices) to remove odors, and ordinary stir-fries or small dishes use minced ginger to enhance freshness.
However, for some dishes that cannot be cooked with ginger but still need to remove fishiness and add fragrance, ginger juice is more suitable. As mentioned earlier, when making fish balls, shrimp balls, meat balls, or dishes made by pounding various animal ingredients into a paste, ginger juice is used to remove the fishy and gamey odors.
To make ginger juice, ginger chunks are pounded, soaked in water for a period of time (usually with scallions and a moderate amount of cooking wine), and the resulting liquid is the ginger juice.
Ginger has many uses and nuances in cooking, but it is not necessary to use it in every dish. For example, single vegetable dishes that have their own natural aromatic flavors would have their original taste compromised if seasoned with minced ginger, as it would "steal the show."
Ginger Juice Crust Dinner Rolls